Everyone agreed, throwing out ideas for what their specialties were in the kitchen.
“Is everyone going to the tree lighting in town this year?” Juliette asked. “It’s my first one and I’d love to go knowing you’re all going to be there.”
“We’re taking Jamie,” Phoebe said of her and Jake.
Halley glanced at her sisters. “It isn’t something I used to do.” She’d been very much of a loner before getting together with Kane. “But I’d love to go this year. I’m sure I can convince Kane to come. Andi? What about you?”
“Nicky and I always go,” she said. Or they had since Billy had left town. She planned to attend this year and hoped he made himself scarce.
“Great!” Satisfied, Juliette picked up her fork and they turned their attention to the food on their plates.
They ate, Andi forcing the salad down over the happy lump in her throat. She was so thrilled for Phoebe and the fact that she would be part of this baby’s life as well as Halley and Kane’s. Something that wouldn’t have been possible had she still been married to Billy. If she hadn’t retaken control of her life and gotten close to her family once again.
She hadn’t heard from Billy again since that day at her house and she assumed it was because she hadn’t been out in public with Kyle, therefore she hadn’t given him a reason to push her further.
She wondered what Kyle was doing for Thanksgiving. It wasn’t that she needed him in her life, but she did like having him there. But she knew he had his family to spend the holiday with and she told herself that was a good thing, that she wouldn’t miss spending the day with him.
His smile.
His good humor.
His sex appeal. And he had plenty of that.
She sighed out loud.
“Andi, what’s wrong?” Halley asked. “That was a deep sigh.”
She glanced up. Realizing she’d been caught daydreaming about Kyle, she blushed, what she was sure was a deep red.
“You’re flushed. What are you thinking about, Andi?” Juliette asked.
“I bet it’s about Kyle,” Phoebe said, sounding certain, and Andi didn’t see the point in denying it.
“Can we change the subject?” she asked instead, enjoying the time she had with the women she called friends.
* * *
Andi sunk deep into the bathtub, letting the heat surround her body and sighed. Today had been a long day, with a lot of preparing of orders and being on her feet. It had been exhausting. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the relaxation, knowing Nicky was in his room reading and she had this time to herself.
Her cell phone rang and she dried her hand and picked it up. Seeing it was Kyle, she answered. “Hello?”
“Hi, gorgeous. What did I catch you doing?”
At the sound of his voice, her body reacted, nipples puckering, her sex clenching with need. “I’m in the bath,” she said.
“Don’t tease me with that vision,” he said, a low groan rumbling from deep in his chest.
“I can’t help it. You asked me what I was doing and I’m bathing.”
Another groan sounded over the phone. “Are you slick and soapy?” he asked gruffly.
“Not yet.” She glanced at the bottle of bath soap on the ledge.
“Don’t you think you should be? Do me a favor and pour some of that delicious peach-smelling stuff on your hand and rub it over your body.”
She rolled her eyes. “I can’t exactly do that with the phone in my hand.”
“Then put me on speaker… low…” he said, knowing she wasn’t alone in the house. “And put the phone on the side of the tub.”
She blinked, wondering for a brief moment if it was the smart thing to do, then she lowered the volume so only she could hear and placed it on the porcelain edge.
Then she picked up the bottle and squeezed a generous amount of body wash into her palm.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
She swallowed hard. “Soaping myself up,” she said, as she ran her hand over her arms and chest.
“Where is your hand?”
She ran her tongue over her lips, her sex throbbing as she answered. “On my chest.”
“Cover your breasts with soap,” he said, and she did as he instructed, gliding her palm over her breasts, first one, then the other.
“Don’t forget your nipples, Andi. Coat them with soap and rub them between your fingers.”
Cheeks flaming, phone sex brand new to her, she pinched her nipples, slicking her fingers over them and rubbing them back and forth until her hips were rocking in time to the movement. She squeezed the tight buds harder, her sex growing heavy with need, and she moaned, a low, needy sound she was surprised came from inside her.
“Jesus,” he muttered.
She heard the sound of a zipper and realized he was undoing his pants and probably gripping his cock in his hand. Sweat broke out on her upper lip.
“Now pretend your hands are my hands and slide them down your stomach. Slowly.”
She inched her fingers down, over her rib cage, her stomach, past her belly button, until her fingertips approached her sex. Her clit pulsed in anticipation, and as she brushed her finger over the hardened tip, she sucked in a rough breath.
“That’s me,” he told her. “Those are my fingers sliding over your wet clit. Rub in circles,” he said, his voice rough with desire.
“Kyle,” she moaned, her fingertip doing as he told her, brushing over and around the hardened tip, desire overwhelming her more than when she’d pleasured herself before. When she’d been alone.
“Andi, fuck,” he gritted out, and she knew for certain he was jerking off as he instructed her how to make herself come.
He continued to whisper sexy instructions in her ear but she barely heard. It was his gruff tone and the sensation caused by her fingers and the bucking of her hips that consumed her, along with the knowledge that he was building toward his own orgasm, too.
“Slide your finger inside you,” he said, a bit louder, as if he knew he needed to reach past the desire soaring through her.
She pushed her finger into herself, curling it forward, her thumb on her clit, and she began to buck and rock, harsh breaths and moans escaping her throat.
“Now you’re going to come for me,” he told her.
She slid her fingers faster, harder, pumping her other finger into her, and came suddenly, the glorious waves of desire taking her up and over, her climax exploding throughout her body.
And all the while, Kyle’s voice accompanied her, “That’s it. Come hard. Pretend it’s me fucking you.”
She pinched her clit at the same time he groaned. “Aah, damn, Andi,” he shouted, obviously coming, too.
By the time she collapsed into the cool water, spent and completely overtaken, it was as if Kyle had been there himself. As if it had been his fingers on her nipples, her belly, her clit… and inside her.
“Are you okay?” he asked roughly.
She leaned her head against the tub and sighed. “Totally relaxed,” she murmured.
“Can’t say I expected this when I called,” he said with a low chuckle. “But it was damned good.”
“Like I said, you talk dirty, Mr. Davenport. I have to get out of the tub. It’s too cold now.”
“Okay, I’m going to come by the store tomorrow. I want to ask you something and I’m too wiped out to deal with it now.”
She smiled, knowing she’d given him the same explosive orgasm he’d provided for her. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
* * *
On Friday lunchtime, Kyle’s gaze darted around the street as he approached In Bloom, and the street was crowded, but he still looked out for Billy, not trusting the other man to leave Andi in peace. In fact, the longer things were quiet, the more nervous Kyle got.
He stepped into the shop and waited for Andi to finish helping two customers before she would have time to talk to him. In between, she fielded phone orders. He watched her work, her warm pers
onality evident as she talked to the man and then the woman who were purchasing flowers. Her lively curls bounced as she pointed out various items in the refrigerated case behind her. She might not have had any experience when she’d taken this job, but she’d clearly learned her way around flowers and it was obvious why she was now the manager.
Finally, the store emptied out and he strode over to the counter and leaned an elbow on top. “Busy day?” he asked.
She laughed. “Not as much as it looked like when you came in. It’s just the lunch-hour rush. Let’s talk before it gets crazy again. What’s up?” she asked.
“Well, I know it’s still a few weeks away, but my mother is planning for Thanksgiving already and I wanted to invite you and Nicky to have dinner with my family. Just Mom, Dad, and my brother, Chase. And me.” He looked at her, hoping she would say yes.
“Oh, Kyle. I wish I could but my family had the big holiday conversation, too. And with Kane married to Halley, it includes the other Ward sisters, too. It’s a big family gathering. I even thought about asking you to join us but I know your mom would be devastated if you weren’t with her on the holiday.”
Disappointment filled him but he understood. “You’re right about my mother,” he said. “And I know you need to be with your family. What about dessert? Can I steal you and Nicky away?”
She paused in thought, then nodded. “Sure. That would be great. I’d love to spend time with you and your family, too.”
He grinned and he knew it was a fucking huge one as he leaned closer to her. “Well, good. That’s settled.”
Before she could reply, the bells over the front entrance rang, announcing a customer.
To both their surprise, Billy walked into the shop and stopped halfway to the desk. “Well, look who doesn’t take instruction well.” His gaze darted from Kyle to Andi.
Kyle stiffened at the sight of the one-time athlete who’d obviously gone soft, as he rocked back on the heels of his feet, hands clenched in tight fists. He was ready to fight if that’s what it took to keep the man away from Andi for good.
He glanced at her, noticing her eyes had opened wide.
“What are you doing here?” Kyle asked.
“It’s a flower shop. I’m here to look at some flowers. And I can’t help but notice that you two were looking cozy when I walked in.”
“Notice whatever you want, Billy. Unless you’re buying something, I’d like you to leave.” Andi straightened her shoulders as she faced her ex.
“It’s a store and I’m browsing.”
She placed her hand on the phone on the counter. “Buy something or leave. Otherwise I’m calling the police and telling them you’re harassing me.”
When he glared but didn’t move a muscle, Kyle stepped into the man’s personal space.
Andi gasped, clearly not wanting a confrontation, but someone had to make things clear to the man.
“You and Andi have nothing to discuss. You have no business with her, personal or otherwise. Now, if you’d like to buy something in this store, I can’t stop you. But if you’re just here to threaten or bully her with your presence, that I can do something about.” He debated for half a second before grabbing the front of Billy’s shirt and getting up in his face. Because Billy Gray had to know Kyle wasn’t afraid of him. He couldn’t scare him into running away. “Understand?”
Billy shook himself free of Kyle’s grasp. “Looks to me like the only one doing any bullying here is you. Of a customer,” Billy spat out. But he didn’t make a move to come after Kyle. “That’s fine. I’ll leave. Because Andrea knows the consequences of defying me, don’t you, Andrea?” He glanced at her, focusing his words on the one person he wasn’t afraid to go head-to-head with.
“Go away, Billy. Sell your mother’s house and leave town. It’s best for everyone and there’s nothing left for you here,” she said, trying to sound bored with her ex, but Kyle heard the tremor in her voice.
“Frighten her, threaten her, touch her, and you’ll deal with me and the local cops. The days of you hurting her are over.”
Billy straightened his shirt, narrowed his gaze, and stormed out of the store.
Kyle waited until the other man had disappeared from sight before turning back and striding over to Andi. He pulled her into his arms and held on tight.
“You shouldn’t have provoked him,” she said but she hugged him back.
He breathed in her familiar scent and pulled her closer. “He provoked you by showing up here. I was just giving him a taste of his own medicine. A man like him isn’t going to go after me. He focuses on those weaker and more vulnerable. I merely warned him of the consequences of his actions,” Kyle said, running a hand over her back.
“And he warned me about the consequences of mine.”
“It’s time, Andi. You need to file a police report. Let them know he’s harassing you.”
She drew a deep, shuddering breath and nodded. “Okay.”
That was easier than he’d thought. Apparently Billy’s reappearance had really gotten to her. “What if I meet up with you after work and we head over there together. Can you get someone to pick up Nicky after school?”
She nodded. “He’s going home with a friend anyway.”
He reached out and stroked her cheek. “It’ll be okay,” he promised her.
She didn’t answer and it ate away at him that he couldn’t automatically make things better.
The trip to the police station went smoothly, except for the fact that Andi had no proof of prior abuse or Billy’s current stalking. Still, the officer was sympathetic, taking her statement, and because they were a small town, he promised to have a car drive by her house and business periodically throughout the day and night.
It gave Kyle some peace of mind but not enough. If he had his way, he’d move in with Andi until her ex was out of town and gone for good, but he knew better than to suggest such a thing. She had a young, impressionable son and he couldn’t just sleep in her bedroom, and if he parked himself on the couch, Nicky would question why his teacher was spending nights there. Added to which, Andi wouldn’t want to scare Nicky by telling him Billy was back and issuing threats.
And if those reasons weren’t enough, there were Andi’s personal issues. If he asked to stay, she’d assume he was questioning her independence, and he didn’t want to upset the stability they’d found in their relationship.
He did, however, plan to keep a much closer eye on her and Nicky.
* * *
Andi and Nicky went for Sunday night dinner at Kane and Halley’s house. She’d had to turn down an invitation from Kyle to have dinner with him because her family hadn’t had time to get together lately and she hadn’t wanted to say no to Halley and Kane. Andi had offered to do the dinner at her house, but Halley was a homebody and Andi didn’t mind going over to their place on the beach.
She wanted to help, so she cooked Nicky’s favorite, her sweet potato pie, and picked up dessert and brought it over to her sister-in-law’s house. Halley was making a brisket and vegetables in the kitchen when they arrived.
Kane greeted them at the door and ushered them inside. “Hey, Nicky! Want to go outside and kick around the soccer ball?” he asked, always good for taking her son for one sports activity or another.
“I do!”
“I’ll meet you outside. I just want to talk to your mom for a minute.”
Nicky nodded and ran out the front door.
“What is it?” Andi asked, looking at him with concern.
He glanced at her sheepishly. “I’m worried about this dad thing. I just hope I learned enough with Nicky to get this right,” he muttered into her ear.
Neither one of them addressed the fact that for the first seven years of Nicky’s life, before Billy left, Kane hadn’t spent as much time with his nephew as he would have liked.
Pushing that thought aside, Andi grew serious. “You’re going to be an awesome dad. The best. Just like you’re the best brother and uncle there is.�
� Tears formed in her eyes. Her brother deserved this happiness and so much more.
He broke the hug and grinned at her. “Thanks. Now one more thing. I heard through the family grapevine you’re having trouble with Billy. I just found out this morning that he’s back in town and harassing you, and I don’t appreciate having to hear it secondhand. I also don’t like the fact that my wife kept the secret from me because she was worried I’d go after him.” He frowned, his frustration obvious.
Andi bit down on the inside of her cheek. “I’m sorry. I was worried about the same thing as Halley. I didn’t want you to get into a fight with Billy, so I didn’t say anything.”
He reached out and took her hands. “You isolated yourself from us once before. I couldn’t handle it if you did that again. And I know there’s a lot I didn’t figure out about your marriage and how he treated you until it was too late… and that’s on me. But Andi, you have to let your family help you.”
“That’s a theme I’ve been hearing lately,” she murmured.
“From Kyle, I hope?”
She nodded.
“People love you. Let them be there for you. It doesn’t make you weak. In fact, it makes you stronger.”
Tears rose in her eyes. “I love you,” she said, hugging him for the second time that day.
“I love you, too. Now how is he bothering you?”
She swallowed hard. “He showed up at the shop on Friday and Kyle was there. He warned Billy to stay away from me. And we went to the police station afterwards and I filed a report. They have a marked car driving by the house when they can.” But she was still looking over her shoulder constantly.
“And if he bothers you again?” Kane asked, his hands curling into fists.
She grasped one and massaged until he released his grip. “It’s going to be okay. Don’t go all overprotective on me.” She kissed his cheek. “Now go play ball with Nicky.”
He seemed to relax, his shoulders easing down.
No sooner had he walked out than her father walked in. “Hi, Dad.” She was glad he was joining them, not off somewhere with his gambling buddies. “How have you been?”
“Pretty good, Andi. Pretty good. I’m on a lucky streak.” He grinned, looking pleased with himself.
Dream (Rosewood Bay Series Book 4) Page 12
